Current prior art for tunable narrow-band imagery requires using grated spectrograph techniques. Most known devices utilize a double slit spectrograph that provides for the synchronous scanning of both slits across two image planes, one slit scans the input image plane and the other slit scans the viewing or camera image plane. In more advanced known art, the scanning motion is produced by moving a platform, such as an aircraft flying a straight and level course over terrain to be imaged. In this case the second slit is replaced by a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) linear array (or rectangular array so that line scans of multiple wavebands can be obtained simultaneously). In these systems, the synchronous scanning of the second slit is accomplished electronically and generally involves computer processing and digital hard drive memory storage.
The disadvantages of the current art are 1) the inability to image or view an image scene in real time (or at least within the time of one NTSC videoframe); 2) the relative size, weight and bulk of the current systems due to the required optical paths, the large amount of digital processing equipment to store and read out the images; and 3) the high power consumption (100s of watts). These disadvantages make the current systems prohibitive for a wide range of in-field scientific, military, criminal forensic and homeland security applications.
Accordingly, there is in a need in the prior art to make a hyper-spectral or continuously tunable narrow band visible and infrared imager that is low power, portable, and can view and record images in real time. The present invention addresses these needs.